The incredible Canadian band The Organ (if you don’t know of them, think The Smiths with no Y chromozome) has officially announced on their

The Organ will be missed by many :’(website that they are breaking up.

This is horrible, horrible news. The Organ was one of my favorite bands for the past few years and I’m pretty sad knowing that they only released an EP (Sinking Hearts), and a full-length (Grab That Gun)—both of which are some of the best records I’ve ever heard.

• I downloaded Civilization IV the other day. I love sim games and back in the day I was all about the Warcraft and Age of Empires. Anyway I had read a lot of good things about the Civilization series and I was pretty excited to play it and build my empire. Well, this game BLOWS!@!!!@@ WTF there’s like “turns” ?? You actually have to hit [return] like every 3 seconds to tell the game your turn is over. Ugh I wanted to kill myself after playing just the tutorial for all of 5 minutes. Not to mention there were all kinds of horrible animated scenes with ugly cgi characters getting all up in my grizzle about diplomatic relations. I don’t think anything will ever come close to the original Warcraft or Age of Empires. I downloaded Age of Empires III as well and will give that a try tonight. Otherwise I suppose I’ll play some Sim City 4, which isn’t nearly as great as I’d hoped it would be. Why do games always have to ruin themselves?

• Orange Fanta is really good until you drink more than 8oz., at which point it makes your intentines shrivel up and you will feel like gutwrenching death.

• I was bummed to hear about the James Kim saga ending in death. After actively following the story on Digg for a week, I felt so invested in the story. And the fact that it could have happened to anybody just made it so relatable and tragic :’(

• After a month of playing the horribly slowpaced, text-only online strategy game Inselkampf, I have finally amassed 80 points. I will soon be destroying all the weaklings surrounding my island.

• Am I completely retarded or is it impossible to post comments on Gawker-Media blogs such as Gawker and Deadspin?? I wanted to post a comment on Deadspin the other night to tell everyone how to stick it to the NFL Network by streaming the games on their PCs, but apparently it’s just simply not possible to register and post a comment?? WTF? Am I missing something?

• Every time I see a Scion xB business vehicle (about every 3-5 minutes if I’m driving somewhere), a shiver of rage traverses down my spine.

• Apparently The Decemberists accepted Stephen Colbert’s counter-counter challenge and will… compete in some sort of instrument challenge? I have no idea. The whole thing’s weird. And the Decemberists suck. Yeah they used to be good but they went too far with their Renaissance revival shtick and now every time I hear them I feel like I’m supposed to be dressed up as a Midieval peasant driving my friends to the Renaissance fair after our weekly Dungeons & Dragons game.

• Bob Dylan’s The Hurricane is still one of the greatest songs ever.

• Just say NO to the new NBA basketball. I vote for bringing back the cowhide. No one likes synthetic crap.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah burst onto the indie scene last year with an album that reminded us all of David Byrne, but in a good way.According to Aversion.com, the David Byrnesque band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! will be putting out their new album, Some Loud Thunder in January. Apparently the cd will be available for download from Insound on January 16. Huzzah!

Personally, I hate downloadable albums which is probably a contradictory statement since I hate and refuse to buy cds, but I suppose this is the way of the future. If they press it on vinyl (doubtful), I’ll be heading over to Parasol to buy a copy. But alas, that’s unlikely :’(

I got this horrible dose of reality emailed me today from the crank people at Kranky records:

Well WTF!??@? This is horrible news, as Benoît’s debut is definitely an album worth owning on vinyl. So please send out a collective FU to Kranky records.

Well, it’s that time of year again—that time when all the obsessive list-making indie fans turned bloggers like myself go crazy making year-end best-of lists—and this year is no different. The quantity of good albums was way less than average this year (I could barely find 30 to even consider for the top 25), but the quality more than made up for it. Pretty much each album listed here rocked my pants off and the entries near the top are among some of the best albums I’ve ever had the pleasure to listen to. Anyway, to the list we go~!!

EDIT/// This list has been amended. I just recently found out that Vaux’s Beyond Virtue, Beyond Vice was released in 2006 (I had always thought it was 2005). That album jumped to #14, bumping Thom Yorke’s The Eraser off the list.

	025	The Walkmen A Hundred Miles Off [Record Collection]
	Moody New York hipsters’ third album is cool, cocky, and filled with brash moments that recall vintage rock and roll. High point: Don’t Get Me Down (Come On Over Here)

	024	Two Gallants What The Toll Tells [Saddle Creek]
	The second album from this Californian duo is an earnest, booze-laden mixture of folk-punk and good old fashioned Southern rock. High point: Steady Rollin

	023	Sparklehorse Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain [Capitol]
	Esteemed Indie recluse returns with fourth album of bizarre lyrics and morose pop melodies that masquerade as playful and sanguine. High point: Knives Of Summertime

	022	Uncut Modern Currencies [Paper Bag]
	Overlooked Canadian band delivers a luscious and energetic album layered with breathy vocals and shoe-gazy guitars that swirl and sparkle amongst themselves. High point: Out Of Sight

	021	…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead So Divided [Interscope]
	Seminal post-hardcore outfit’s fifth full-length is hopeful, introspective and ultimately a viscerally creative foray into the finer aspects of the genre. High point: Wasted State Of Mind

	020	Sophia Technology Won’t Save Us [Flower Shop]
	Laced with wistful melodies and moody lyrics that fall just short of hopeful, this veteran band’s sixth album hits in all the right places. High point: Pace

	019	You Should Go Ahead You Should Go Ahead [Chiado]
	Portugal dance punks deliver a remarkable debut that combines post-punk and synth-rock influences with a dark, modern edge. High point: Seventy-One

	018	White Rose Movement Kick [Independiente]
	European electroclash revivalists create fusion of frantic paranoia, throbbing beats and dramatic synth-pop that’s entrancing, disturbing and mesmerizing. High point: Kick

	017	Band Of Horses Everything All The Time [Sub Pop]
	Seattle folk rockers’ debut is a gorgeous blend of pensive lyrics, chilling vocals and exuberant reverb that bring images of the Pacific Northwest to mind. High point: The Funeral

	016	The Draft In A Million Pieces [Epitaph]
	Following singer Chuck Ragan’s departure, remaining members of Hot Water Music regroup to write an explosive album of mouthwatering punk bursting with folk-punk melodies and blistering gusto. High point: Wired

	015	Ratatat Classics [XL]
	Instrumental electronic rockers’ sophomore effort combines danceable hooks with vintage synths to form a jawdroppingly stimulating collection of tantalizing beats and erotic melodies. High point: Wildcat

	014	Vaux Beyond Virtue, Beyond Vice [Vx/Outlook]
	Colorado punk band goes all Radioheady on second full-length, resulting in an epic record exploding with moody atmospherics and ethereal melodies. High point: The Last Report From

	013	Brand New The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me [Interscope/Tiny Evil]
	New York outfit’s third album continues to expand its emo-flavored pop/punk with additional texture, neurotic lyrics and a willingness to experiment. High point: Degausser

	012	Sound Team Movie Monster [Capitol]
	Texas band’s major label debut spans a wide gamut of styles and influences, rendering indie rock’s recent past into a tangible, cohesive microcosm. High point: TV Torso

	012	Sparta Threes [Hollywood]
	Former members of At The Drive-In finally find their stride with the addition of ex-Engine Down guitarist Keeley Davis. The result is a cacophonous fusion of haunting vigor and divine melodies. High point: Crawl

	010	Duels The Bright Lights & What I Should Have Learned [Nude]
	Energetic Brits’ debut is loaded with memorable power-pop balladry, occasional synths and vibrant, spirited moxie. High point: The Slow Build

	009	Rocky Votolato Makers [Barsuk]
	Fourth solo album by displaced Texan is a deceptively simple, western-flavored collection of genuine musings backed by melancholy, acoustic folk. High point: Portland Is Leaving

	008	Benoît Pioulard Précis [Kranky]
	Michigan Avant-Gardist’s hypnotizing debut is an unbelievably stunning assemblage of ambient folk rock with an understated delicacy that rides the crest of delusion. High point: Ext. Leslie Park

	007	Portugal. The Man Waiter: “You Vultures” [Fearless]
	Fractured and deliberately ambiguous, these Alaskans offer up an artsy take on dance punk that’s schizophrenic, alluring, and barely avoids pretentiousness. High point: Elephants

	006	Silversun Pickups Carnavas [Dangerbird]
	Californian band’s fuzz-drenched debut is a brilliant overhaul of mid-90s alternative rock that hinges on androgynous vocals and huge hooks. High point: Well Thought Out Twinkles

	005	The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Show Your Bones [Interscope]
	Art school paramours burst back on the scene with a delicious second helping of charming art punk that trumps their debut with brooding, reflective heartache. High point: Way Out

	004	The Knife Silent Shout [Rabid]
	Swedish weirdos combine eerie synths and freakish vocals to produce a beautifully primal dreamscape that’s vicious, haunting and utopian. High point: Marble House

	003	I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness Fear Is On Our Side [Secretly Canadian]
	Austin band’s first full-length is a sinister modernization of post-punk doused in a chilling nocturnal decor that’s every bit as desolate and paranoid as its title would indicate. High point: Lights

	002	Built to Spill You in Reverse [Warner Bros.]
	Doug Martsch and Co. return from five year hiatus with their most accomplished and focused effort to date—a dramatic album that’s simultaneously grandiose, inconspicious and explosive. High point: Mess With Time

	001	Bears Bears [Carrot Top]
	An obvious choice, this unsigned Cleveland band’s self-released debut is a near-perfect collection of psychedelically tinted folk-pop that’s altogether saccharine, vivacious and breathtaking. High point: Everywhere

I emailed the wonderful lo-fi indie-pop band Bears the other day inquiring as to whether or not their breathtaking debut would ever be availabe on vinyl. I received this in my inbox today from Charlie (who’s birthday is one day after mine):

That’s delicious news for vinyl lovers like myself!! Please email them at bearspop [at] gmail [dot] com if you support this endeavor (which, you should)!!

• Is it just me, or have I been updating this thing an awful lot lately. I wonder if anyone actually reads this.

• I really hate ESPN Page2. Not only are their writers idiots and think they need to litter their columns with iPod and YouTube references to come across as hip, but they’re also huge douchebags. Oh, and calling a team by a nickname that’s close to, but not actually, its nickname (for example, calling the Ravens the Nevermores) is NOT FUNNY. Anyway, last week, Page 2’s Scoop Jackson completely ripped off a character and idea (the Orange Roundie) from the hilarious NBA blog Yaysports. The original column appeared with no credit or link to Yaysports, whatsoever. But outrage on another popular sports blog, Deadspin, managed to get ESPN to insert a crappy credit (an afterthought in parenthesis and not even linked that stated where the name Orange Roundie originated from) to Yaysports. But they refused to change the column or take out the references to Orange Roundie, which they stole. This really pisses me off. I tried submitting it to Digg in hopes of generating some community outrage that would force ESPN to pull the column, but apparently no one cares. Please Digg it if this bothers you and/or if you hate ESPN.

• It’s been quite awhile since I’ve heard a good new album (omg a week???). That’s probably one of the factors leading to the increased amount of sports content on this site. I’ve been listening to a lot of old-school Modest Mouse, Pixies, Wolf Parade, Minus the Bear, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, et al. I posted a pretty rad cover of my favorite Sonic Youth song Diamond Sea (by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs) last week. And an awesome rarity by everyone’s favorite creepily weird Scandinavian band The Knife. If you haven’t figured out by now, you can add the mp3 blogz0r RSS feed at the top of the page to your subscribed podcasts in iTunes and get each song automatically.

• If you are in a band and stuff, don’t be afraid to email me your songs. Most of your bands are crappy, but I’ve gotten some decent stuff. This band, Dead Leaf Echo recently emailed me a few mp3s and I was pretty surprised by the quality. They’re not quite there yet, but there’s definitely a hint of some promising things to come. They sort of have the whole post-Pixies, post-Joy Division vibe that a lot of indie bands are rocking these days. With a little booze and some heartbreak, this band could be awesome.

• Am I the only one who remembers Dweebs (Nerds’ less sour and more circular cousin) and will forever resent Willy Wonka for discontinuing them?

• To anyone that actually read my interview with Ray Frenden, this will be a recurring series focusing on various artists, illustrators and designers that I eKnow. Stay tuned.

• Florida is heading to the BCS championship game. It’s painfully obvious that no one wanted to see Michigan make it. There’s no reason whatsoever that Florida shouldn’t have already been ahead of Michigan if they weren’t ranked above them before this weekend. That said, I have no problem with the decision, though I don’t think they can beat Ohio State.

Well, only three weeks to go in the regular season, and this might have been the strangest yet. A few highlights: the Bears’ offense played about as bad as humanly possible (even worse than that infamous Monday night game against the Cardinals) and won. The Raiders’ defense played about as good as humanly possible and lost. Both the Raiders and Texans had fans wishing it was Kill Yourself Day™ in Oakland. And Ladainian scored again.

• The Colts lost to a suddenly-reborn-with-Vince-Young-at-the-helm Titans team on a last second 60 yard field goal. Yes that’s two weeks in a row the Titans have come from behind to win on a field goal. 78 rushing yards for Young. Steve McWho??

• 178 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs and 14 receiving yards for Ladainian Tomlinson. Best RB ever? Too soon?

• Trent Green threw 4 TDs and Larry Johnson had 110 rushing yards but the Chiefs still managed to lose to the Browns, on a field goal in OT.

• Rex Grossman, who should probably change his name to Rex Disgustingman pretty soon, completed 6 of 19 passes for 34 yards and 3 interceptions. That’s a 1.3 quarterback rating, in case you were wondering. Amazingly, that wasn’t even the low passing yard total of the day. Yet the Bears still managed to win thanks to a defensive TD and another Devin Hester punt return for a touchdown.

• WTF @ the Jets scoring 38 points. Well, I guess they did play the Packers, but Chad Pennington probably didn’t even know football scores could be this high.

Who the crap is this dude???• The Cardinals actually won a game (over the Rams, who would probably allow over 100 yards rushing to Stanford), and Edgerrin James became the first Cardinals running back to rush for 100+ yards in… over two years. But for some reason, every time they got into the red zone, out went James and in came… Marcel Shipp?? Yes, Marcel Shipp. He scored 3 TDs—the first, second and third time he’s managed to get into the endzone since scoring 3 in a game four years ago… against the Rams.

• Drew Brees threw for less than 300 yards for the first time in like, 100 years. So how did the Saints win? Well, Reggie Bush scored 4 TDs to go with 131 receiving and 37 rushing yards. That’s four times more than he had scored so far this season (not including his punt return TD).

• Kill Yourself Day™ in Oakland saw the Raiders lose another

Sebastian Janikowski sucks at life more than anyone else in the NFLgame despite only allowing 32 yards passing. That’s right, David Carr didn’t even complete a pass in the second half. The Raiders also had 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and a touchdown. Luckily for them they employ the worst kicker in the history of the universe (Sebastian Janikowski) who missed 3 more field goals. And just to make sure you were paying attention, he made sure to hit the uprights on two of them.

• Chris Chambers caught 121 yards against a tough Jacksonville defense, seemingly giving the finger to all the fantasy owners who had him benched because he is averaging like 2 yards a game this year.

• The Cowboys won on a last second field goal despite releasing douchebag kicker Mike Vander Jagt earlier this week and signing Martin Gramatica, who hadn’t kicked in the NFL for two years. He nailed a 46 yarder with 1 second left. No pressure.

• The Seahawks beat the Broncos in the Sunday night game—on a last second field goal that probably kicked the Broncos out of the playoff picture. Also, Broncos linebacker Al Wilson snapped his head back going for a loose ball and laid on the field for quite awhile before getting carted off on a stretcher and taken to the hospital in an ambulance. The word is it’s just a sprained neck and he could move his extremities.

I’m watching the USC and UCLA game right now, and I think it’s time for college football fans to rise up and say what everyone’s been thinking all year:

USC does not deserve to play in the national championship.

Michigan does. Do I need to remind you that their only loss this year came by three points, AT Ohio State???

Michigan deserves to play in the national championship, but no one likes a rematch so they’re most likely headed to the Rose Bowl.There are three teams right now that are garnering talk of playing in the BCS title game: USC, Michigan and Florida.

USC LOST to Oregon State, only won by six to Washington State, six to Washington, seven to Arizona State and very well might lose to UCLA.

Florida lost to a good, ranked Auburn team; barely beat a ranked Tennessee; and barely beat Georgia, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. They also played in one of the toughest conferences in the country (the SEC) and appear to be on their way to winning the championship.

Then there’s Michigan. Though the Big 10 isn’t the toughest of conferences, they’ve still managed quality wins over then #2 Notre Dame and Wisconsin. And, to pound you over the head with this some more: their ONLY loss was by just three points AT Ohio State.

When you have multiple teams with one loss all vying for a spot in the championship game, you go with the team with the toughest loss. That team is Michigan. The only reason people don’t want to see them is because for some reason no one likes a rematch. Michigan actually went down a spot in the BCS WITHOUT even playing.

Well I’m here to tell you: I like rematches. I like them a lot. They’re like the good kind of movie sequels (like Back to the Future). If Michigan were Back the the Future and USC were Cruel Intentions and Florida were American Pie, I don’t think we’d be disputing this. Michigan would be safely in the championship—ready and willing to defend Marty McFly’s honor.